Spring Equinox (Chunfen)
Choose balanced, gentle foods, and enjoy seasonal vegetables and fresh fish traditionally eaten at this time.
Script
Hello, and welcome to Spring Equinox, Chunfen. In the classic Yueling Qishier Hou Jijie, Chunfen is the midpoint term of the second lunar month. Fen means half. The day falls halfway through the ninety days of spring. At this time, people traditionally choose balanced, gentle foods. Chinese toon is a spring favorite, with fresh flavor. Broad beans are newly harvested and often cooked simply at home. Pea shoots are tender, green, and refreshing, and they suit light spring meals. A common dish is Pea Shoot and Fish Slice Soup, a simple home-style soup with seasonal vegetables and fresh fish. Go easy on overly greasy, heavy food. Also keep very spicy or overly drying cooking styles to a minimum. If you want to try it yourself, look for the Spring Equinox Seasonal Tasting Ingredient Pack.
On the table this season
- Chinese toon (Xiangchun)warm
Its fresh spring flavor is at its best now and suits trying the season’s first produce.
- Broad beans (Candou)neutral
These newly harvested beans are delicate and fresh, often traditionally eaten in simple home-style dishes.
- Pea shoots (Wandoumiao)cool
Tender, green, and refreshing, they are commonly seen around the Spring Equinox.
- Grass carp (Caoyu)warm
Its flesh is tender and mild, making it well suited to light soups and simple dishes.
- Spring radish (Chun luobo)cool
Crisp, tender, and juicy, it suits salads or clear soups.
Cook it
Scrambled Eggs with Chinese Toon (Xiangchun Chao Jidan)
Ingredients: Chinese toon, eggs, cooking oil, salt
- Wash the Chinese toon, blanch it briefly in boiling water, remove, squeeze dry, and chop finely.
- Beat the eggs, then mix in the chopped Chinese toon and a little salt.
- Heat oil in a pan and pour in the egg mixture.
- Gently stir with chopsticks or a spatula until just set and cooked through, then serve.
Pea Shoot and Fish Slice Soup (Wandoumiao Yupian Tang)
Ingredients: pea shoots, grass carp, spring radish, fresh ginger, salt, cooking oil
- Slice the grass carp thinly, cut the spring radish into slices, wash the pea shoots, and shred the ginger.
- Add a little oil to a pot, lightly cook the ginger, then add water and bring to a boil.
- Add the radish slices first and cook until slightly translucent, then add the fish slices and gently separate them.
- When the fish turns opaque, add the pea shoots and season with salt.
- Bring back to a boil, turn off the heat, and serve hot.
Go easy on
- Eat less overly greasy, heavy food.
- Use fewer very spicy or overly drying cooking styles.
- Seasonal foods are enjoyable, but avoid eating too many different foods in one meal.
Classical source
春分，二月中。分者，半也。Yueling Qishier Hou Jijie (Wu Cheng, Yuan dynasty)
Spring Equinox is the midpoint term of the second lunar month. "Fen" means half: the day falls halfway through the ninety days of spring.
Original text on Wikisource · Diet text drafted with AI and pending expert review.